Born on July 21, 1926, in Ostrava, Czechoslovakia, he was a key figure in the British New Wave cinema movement. After fleeing to England during World War II, he pursued a passion for film, co-founding "Sequence" magazine and working as a documentary filmmaker. His feature debut, "Saturday Night and Sunday Morning" (1960), became a landmark of British cinema. Notable works include "The French Lieutenant's Woman" (1981). Known for his naturalistic style, he passed away in 2002.